Girl, Put Your Records On
by Echante
Summary: Mark sits in front of Addison's doorstep until she agrees to go on a road trip with him... This is something I like to call Happy!Maddison Review please!


A/N: What really freaks me out is that blonde Lexie looks alarmingly like Mark's kid. Oh and this should really be in the PP section but I'm used to posting in Grey's so I'm going to stick with that... This is for LoveandLearn who wanted happy Maddison and I completely overcompensated by writing not only fluff but pure mush. So enjoy.

_Three little birds, sat on my window…_

She doesn't smile as much as she used to. She's too exhausted, fucking a guy she doesn't love, pining after the one she does, forgetting the other one that she used to. It takes too much energy. She doesn't enjoy life.

He doesn't smile as much as he used to. At least not in the genuine way that he can't remember doing since his daughter agreed to let him keep the child. He thinks that shouldn't count since she took him away soon after. He's been having this reoccurring dream lately, and his mind replays for him his latest regret: Addison, sitting on the bed, asking him to stay; him pulling slowly away.

It's all fucked up, he thinks, and once upon a time, he'd laughed and laughed and laughed with her until he couldn't laugh any longer. Once upon a time they'd been in-love. Once upon a time she'd used him. He'd used her this time. Maybe they were even. Maybe the next time could be the one.

So he made a decision, without Derek, without Callie, without anyone. He left his resignation on Derek's desk and booked it out of there before anyone could ask any questions. He was tired of feeling bad for the only thing he's ever wanted his whole life. He was fucking tired.

He rents a motorcycle and drives it all the way down to L.A. He tries to come up with a game plan but in the end he settles for something he knows very, very well: stubbornness. It's about time for it to come in handy.

She runs away from him the first time he appears, but he just smirks and figures that's okay because he knows where she lives. When she comes home, she shakes her head and steps over him to the doorway, but he can see the slight smile that's painted on her face. He laughs, "I'll be here for as long as it takes!" He yells after her.

She doesn't believe him.

She should have.

He's beginning to resemble a homeless man, he hasn't shaved or showered in the two weeks he'd spent sitting on her porch and neighbors were starting to ask questions. He'd already befriend Ms. Anderson who lived next door and had told her his tale of woes. She wished him good luck.

But he takes comfort in the fact that after the first two days, she starts to leave him food while he's asleep. She still exits through the back way but he smiles up at her window continuously in the hope that if she peeked out, it would be to see him smiling.

After three weeks, he's ready to give up, his legs are cramped and the furthest he'd walked was to the public bathroom a couple blocks down to pee every day. He's been there every day when she leaves for work; he's there every night when she gets home. He doesn't know what else to do.

But funny thing about life, it always pushes you to the edge before it gives in.

He startles from his sleep when he hears to click of heels approach the sidewalk and he's a bit surprised that she's using the front entrance when she'd so carefully fled to the back for the past few weeks. He's even more surprised when she settles herself beside him.

"Mark," she sighs, she sounds tired, "What do you want?"

He turns his face so he sees her and takes in the slight hesitation, the fear that pervades her movements, he doesn't answer the question, "I was ready to give up." He tells her.

"This was a really, really stupid move," she informs him, gesturing to his sweat clad body lying on her porch.

He shrugs, "I do stupid things. It's who I am."

She smiles slightly and shakes her head, "I don't think you give yourself enough credit."

"Addy?" He lifts a finger and tilts her head so their eyes meet, "I want you back. And I'm willing to wait here forever for an answer, but if my presence here is a nuisance and you're embarrassed by me then tell me and I'll go. But I'm willing to wait forever for an answer because I never stopped loving you."

She sighs and turns away and stutters, "I…I don't know… I don't know if I have anything left in me to offer you Mark."

He grins, "That's all? I'm not asking you for much."

"Then what do you want?" She repeats her original question.

"Come away with me," he says, "Let's just get away."

And she smiles because it feels right and good and she nods before wrinkling her nose, "Fine. But you have to take a shower first."

"Deal."

She refuses to kiss him until he trims his beard.

_And they told me I don't need to worry…_

She rolls over and blinks; surprised at the bright sky that meets her gaze. She groans and prods at the squishy mat with her foot, shaking the sleep from her eyes. There's an arm wrapped around her waist and stubble scratching against her right ear. She smiles when she remembers the events of the night and snuggles herself closer into Mark's chest. She can feel his eyelashes flutter and she turns in his arms to face him when she knows he's awake.

"Hi," she smiles up at him and kisses him softly. He grins in return.

"How you feelin'?" He asks her, stroking her hair and rubbing her legs.

"Surprisingly good," she laughs, "that was quite a stunt you pulled on me last night."

"I did what I had to do." He says with a shrug and she smiles.

"That's right baby," her head throws back and happiness bubbles forth, "you did."

He plays with the red mass of curls toppling down her hair and marvels at how long it had grown since he'd last seen her.

"I'm sorry I left you before," he tries to tell her but she shakes her head and shushes him.

"It doesn't matter," she tells him, "it doesn't matter, we're here right now and that's all I care about."

He grins and kisses her on the forehead, "I was surprised you agreed to get on a motorcycle with me."

She admits it shyly, "I've always thought they were kind of sexy." She lifts a finger and rubs at his stubble, "And it fits you Mark… it really suits you."

"I miss it," he readily admits, "I gave my bike up after Seattle and I didn't realize how much I loved it."

There's nothingness in the air and see looks around her, there's no one else in sight. She likes the idea of her and Mark completely alone. It's never been like that before, the complications of other people, other relationships fade away.

"Do you want to get going?" He asks her, and she shakes her head.

"Can we just stay here for a little longer? I've never been anywhere so devoid of people before."

There's something about her that brings out the sappy side of him and he smiles along with her and laughs, "You're right," he says, "I never thought of it like that."

The silence drifts over them but it's comforting. They allow themselves to soak in the world until the sun rises farther into the sky and the burn begins to settle in.

_Summer came like cinnamon, so sweet, little girls double-dutch on the concrete…_

They pull into a roadside diner slash gas-station to eat lunch and she makes a face when she pulls the helmet off of her head, "My hair is messed-up," she complains loudly and he laughs at her.

"You're so vain Addy."

She sticks out her tongue and makes a face at him.

"Oh really mature," he says laughing harder.

She tries to scowl but ends up smiling and reaches over and grabs at his hand, threading her fingers through his, "I'm hungry," she tells him, "Let's eat."

She smirks a little when the bored waitress snaps up at Mark's entrance and takes perverse pleasure in whispering seductively in his ear and putting on a desperate show to make the other woman jealous. Mark frowns but plays along for her sake, reprimanding her when they get to the table, "You're kind of a bitch Ads."

She laughs, "There was a time when you used to like being flaunted."

"A lot of things have changed."

She kisses him anyway.

They're interrupted by a quiet cough and a shy looking girl hands them a menu. They both order waffles and eggs and toast and then settle into friendly conversation.

"How're Derek and Meredith by the way?" She asks, dipping a chunk of her waffle into a generous helping of syrup.

"Good, good," he says, pushing his strawberries onto her plate as she scoops some eggs onto his, "They're still pretty dysfunctional but they're sort of married now…"

She laughs, "Sort of married? How does that work?"

"Well they're not legally married," he hesitates and tries to explain, "they wrote it on a post-it."

She looks at him in surprised and then bursts, "That's fucked up in so many ways."

Mark nods, "That's what I said."

"He would do that."

"Oh god, I know, they would."

She takes his fingers and plays with them, "Remember when Derek and I got married?"

He nods and gulps because even though he isn't romantic enough to imagine he was in-love with her then, it had still hurt a little in a way that made him get more drunk than was necessary at a wedding.

She fiddles with her fork and sighs, "I don't think I ever knew it was right… my brain thought it was the right thing to do but there was no fairytale involved, there wasn't the magic that they always talk about. All there was, was a guy who I knew loved me, and who I imagined I loved."

"Addy?" He asks her concerned.

"You were always there." She choked softly, "I'm sorry for ignoring you."

"Hey," he tells her, "You said it yourself, we both made a lot of mistakes."

He pulls her over to his side of the curved booth and leans her head on his shoulder. He can hear the laughter of children outside and he smiles, there's beauty in the world, he's glad he's found it.

"Are you okay?" He asks her and she nods against his shoulder.

"I guess what I'm trying to say," she says to him, "is…" she hesitates and then pushes forth, "I'm trying to say that I love you."

There's a gushing in his heart and the smile on his face widens so far that he's sure his cheeks have stretched out and his mouth has expanded beyond its borders.

"Mark?" She asks him nervously, afraid to look at him, "Are you okay?"

He kisses her in response, "I love you so much Addison." He tells her confidently, "I always have… always will."

When they exit the diner, she holds his hand tightly, and in some ways, he feels like she's holding his heart.

_Girl, put your records on, tell me your favorite song…_

He slips his thumbs through the loops of her jeans and pulls her to him as she strokes at his hair. "I liked the nature," she tells him, "but it's nice to be back in civilization."

He grins, "Oh yeah? I knew outdoorsy Addison was too good to be true."

She slaps him on his arm and pouts, "I agreed to go with you into the desert; giving my full trust to that death machine you call a vehicle. I think I deserve a little credit."

"All right," he chuckles, "I'll give you that."

"Thanks." She smirks self-assuredly, and then smiles shyly, "I love you." She says, a little addicted to telling him. She loves the smile that tugs on his face every time she says the words and the way he kisses her afterwards that makes her heart pound right out of her chest.

He tugs her into the mall and then sighs, "Okay," he tells her, "I dragged you through the desert, I suppose I must let you drag me through the mall."

She kisses him happily, "I'll make it worth your while," she winks at him and he follows her willingly. He thinks he'll go anywhere as long as she's with him. He'd go through the darkest hell.

She squeals as they pass an antique jewelry shop and begs him to go in with her, she explains in such detail about the clarity and the shape of the diamonds that he caves and buys her a necklace, and doesn't even flinch at the dent it puts in his wallet.

She makes it up to him by dragging him into Victoria's Secrets.

_Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams… just go ahead let your hair down…_

She misses him, he's only been gone for a couple of days, off to Minnesota or somewhere irrelevant but desperately in need of a plastic surgeon, and she misses him. She sits inside a Starbucks, watching the Santa Monica sunrise and twirling her fingers together, gulping down her coffee.

Naomi sits down beside her and observes her distraught look with a sympathetic smile, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she nods quietly, and then elaborates, "is it stupid that I miss him? Because I really really do. And I don't understand why because I've lived without him for the last several years but now… it's only been two days and I feel so lonely."

Naomi smiles, "You know it must be love," she tells her.

Addison smiles back, "I love him Naomi, I really do. I love him so much and I don't know how I've lived all my life without knowing that."

Naomi smiles knowingly but doesn't disclose the secret that Mark entrusted her with before he left, "I like seeing you happy Addy," she tells her, "it looks good on you."

Addison sighs, "Just three more days," she laughs, "and then I promised him he could take me to a Lakers game. You and Sam should come with us."

"Yeah," Naomi agrees, although she knows that whenever Addison is with Mark the rest of the world fades around her, "That sounds like fun." Naomi's eyes light up when she catches Mark making his way into the shop but she suppresses her surprise when he lifts a finger to his lips and motions for her to be quiet. She obeys willingly because this is the man who made her friend so happy and Mark tip toes his way across the room and covers Addison's eyes with his hands. "Boo." He says without emotion and Addison jumps a little, surprised.

When she sees who it is though, she squeals. Naomi smiles and takes her leave quietly.

She pretty much strangles him as they stumble out of the coffee shop but he laughs and laughs and laughs because he really doesn't mind too much.

"I missed you," she says kissing him desperately as they migrate towards the beach in slow, almost drunken steps.

"A lot apparently," he says but he knows what she means because he missed her too.

She shakes her head up and down fervently and says, "A lot. Don't leave me ever again."

He kisses her this time and agrees, "I missed you too much, I had to come home early."

They settle into an isolated corner and just exist, watching the waves breath in and out of the ocean. Addison scrunches her nose and contorts her lips a little and Mark looks over in concern, "What's wrong?"

She shakes her head and smiles a little and asks, "Did you ever imagine that we'd end up here? All those years ago, when it was you and Derek as best friends and then when Derek and I got married… Did you ever imagine that it would end up with you and me here? Like this?"

Mark laughs incredulously and agrees, "I thought you were a snob," he admits, "and a know-it-all. You kind of drove me crazy."

"Well I thought you were arrogant and a jerk," she laughs, "it's funny sometimes, how life turns out."

He nods and agrees grabbing at her waist and wrapping her closer to him and kissing her forehead, "I love you Addison," he tells her, "And it's not going to end up with you and someone else because I won't have that. I'd rather die than let you out of my sight again. It hurt so much when you left me the first time and I couldn't stop going back to that swing set in Central Park where we used to have our most passionate discussions. I couldn't stop seeing you by the hot dog stand and hearing you laugh in the MET. I couldn't stop going to the places where we'd been together and I felt completely miserable without you there."

Addison smiles and buries her face deep into his shoulder and he thinks it's fitting that the sun is setting because it feels like he's coming home, "Will you marry me?" He whispers it into her ear and she looks up at him, eyes wide, mouth cracked slightly open.

"Yes," she says finally, after he's held his breath for what felt like hours, "A million times yes."

It's funny the way life turns out, he thinks as she drags him by the hand and leads him into the ocean, but he wouldn't have it any other way, because it all turned out for the better.


End file.
